Jim Clark's History Of The World

BRIEFING - Nation & world

ON THIS DATE in 1652 America opened its first mint despite a British law prohibiting a mint in the Colonies. The mint produced a shilling emblazoned with a pine tree.

In 1859 Peter O'Riley and Patrick McLaughlin discovered the Comstock Lode near Virginia City, Nev. It was the richest mining discovery in U.S. history.

In 1898 Marines landed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to drive out the Spanish. . . . In 1902 Pandora, a giant panda, arrived at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

In 1909 the Cunard liner Slavonia wrecked off the Azores and signaled for help. The Slavonia was the first ship to use a new distress call - ''SOS'' - to ask for help.

In 1926 June Haver was born. At one time she was thought to be on her way to movie stardom, and there was speculation she would replace Betty Grable as the box-office leader. But her films did not do well (I'll Get By was one.), and she quit the movies and went to a convent. She later married actor Fred MacMurray.

In 1935 Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in New York.

In 1942 Nazi troops shot all male inhabitants of the Czech village of Lidice, leveled the town and deported all the women and children to Germany.

In 1946 boxing great Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, died in a North Carolina car crash.

In 1967 Oscar-winning actor Spencer Tracy died. Despite his unglamorous appearance, he became one of the leading men in Hollywood and had an affair with actress Katharine Hepburn for more than 20 years. He won Oscars for Captains Courageous and Boys Town and received seven other nominations.

Also in 1967 the Six-Day War in the Mideast ended with Israel agreeing to abide by a United Nations cease fire.

In 1985 Claus von Bulow was found not guilty of murdering his millionaire wife by injecting her with an overdose of insulin. In his first trial, von Bulow was convicted, but the conviction was overturned on appeal.